Uncertainty surrounds digital TV

By Damaria Senne, ITWeb senior journalist

Johannesburg, 11 Aug 2006

The future of digital terrestrial TV in SA is uncertain due to socio-economic challenges, says Manny Coelho, hi-tech and microwave links manager at the SABC.

Coelho will argue this at a digital broadcasting conference hosted by the Business Zone, on 28 and 29 August, at the Airport Grand Hotel, in Boksburg.

In a presentation based on his MBA thesis, Coelho says the majority of consumers will not be able to buy digital TV sets due to cost constraints. Since digital TV is a new technology, consumers will need to be educated about it to encourage adoption, and that this process will take time, he says.

Insight

Humbulani Rambau, Business Zone`s conference manager, says the aim of the conference is to provide ICT professionals with insight on the social, economic, policy and regulatory implications of migrating from analogue to digital broadcasting infrastructure.

Stakeholders will also assess the pace of infrastructural implementation in SA, especially in view of the 2010 World Cup, he says.

Case studies of countries that have already switched to digital broadcasting will be evaluated for their relevance to the South African broadcasting environment, Rambau states.

Speakers will include Peter Matlare, executive director of Vodacom Commercial; Frans Lindeque, COO of digital broadcasting at Sentech; and Melusi Mthethwa, head of frequency monitoring at the Independent Communications Authority of SA.

Rambau says Business Zone will host the digital broadcasting conference annually until 2009 in order to provide a platform for the ICT sector to regularly monitor the digital migration process an its role in it.